Sports in Louisville, Kentucky
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Sports in Louisville, Kentucky include amateur and professional sports in baseball, football, basketball, horse racing, horse shows, ice hockey, soccer and lacrosse. The
Professional sports
Louisville is now home to two minor-league professional men's teams, and one major-league professional women's team. The
Louisville hosts two soccer teams. Louisville City FC began play in the United Soccer League in 2015, sharing Louisville Slugger Field with the Bats. Louisville City was the reserve side for Major League Soccer's Orlando City SC in 2015, but no longer fills that role after Orlando City launched a team-owned reserve side for the 2016 season.
In October 2019, the National Women's Soccer League announced that it would award an expansion franchise to Louisville that would begin play at Lynn Family Stadium in 2021.[1]
| Club | Sport | Began Play | League | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville Bats | Baseball | 1982 | International League | Louisville Slugger Field |
| Louisville City FC | Soccer
|
2015 | USL Championship | Lynn Family Stadium |
| Racing Louisville FC | Soccer
|
2021 | National Women's Soccer League | Lynn Family Stadium |
College sports
College basketball and college football are very popular in Louisville, which prides itself on being one of the best college sports towns in America.
The city is home to the
The U of L football team, with coach
.The U of L baseball team advanced to the
Bellarmine University, home of the Knights, moved all sports up to the NCAA Division I level in the 2019–2020 academic year. Spalding University, home of the Golden Eagles, plays in NCAA Division III as members of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
| University | Nickname | League | Division |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Louisville | Louisville Cardinals | Atlantic Coast Conference | NCAA Division I |
| Bellarmine University | Bellarmine Knights | ASUN Conference |
NCAA Division I |
| Spalding University | Spalding Golden Eagles |
St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | NCAA Division III |
Horse racing and equestrian events
Churchill Downs is home to the Kentucky Derby, the largest sports event in the state, as well as the Kentucky Oaks, which together cap the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. Churchill Downs has also hosted the renowned Breeders' Cup on eight occasions, in 2011, and most recently in 2018.
Besides racing there is the World's Championship
Louisville is also the home of Valhalla Golf Club which hosted the 1996, 2000, and 2014 PGA Championships, and hosted the 2008 Ryder Cup. It is also home to one of the top skateparks in the U.S., David Armstrong Extreme Park.
Louisville is also the home of
High school
High school sports are also very popular in the city, especially football and basketball.
Louisville area high schools have been dominant in
The 2002 Kentucky state 4A Football Championship between Male and Trinity, a showdown between future UofL teammates
Annual competitions
From 2007 to 2019, Louisville was host to the annual Ironman Louisville triathlon, in August until 2014 then in October afterwards.[7] In 2019, 2,366 participants finished the course.[8]
In early 2012, Louisville became the first American city to ever host the UCI Masters
Historical teams
Louisville long ago hosted teams in the
The
Another soccer team, the
See also
City of Louisville and metro area | ||
|---|---|---|
| History |
|  |
| Geography | ||
| Government |
| |
| Transportation | ||
| Other subject areas | ||
| Top subjects | ||
| National Historic Landmarks | ||
| Prominent suburbs (over 10K pop.) | ||
References
- ^ "National Women's Soccer League announces expansion to Louisville in 2021" (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. October 22, 2019. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
- ^ "North Carolina A&T vs. Louisville – Game Recap – March 21, 2013 – ESPN". Archived from the original on July 17, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
- World Wrestling Entertainment. February 7, 2008. Archived from the originalon March 9, 2008. Retrieved February 7, 2008.
- ^ Marshall, Anne (December 7, 2011). "Learning the ropes". Louisville Eccentric Observer. Archived from the original on January 8, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
- ^ "Ohio Valley Wrestling Alumni". Ohio Valley Wrestling. Archived from the original on May 1, 2009. Retrieved June 1, 2008.
- ^ Patrick, Dick (September 21, 2005). "High school rivals are like family". USA Today. Archived from the original on May 13, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
- ^ "Ironman Louisville/". ironman.com/. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
- ^ "2019 IRONMAN Louisville". Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
- ^ "Louisville to host 2013 UCI Cyclocross World Championships". Cyclocross Magazine. January 29, 2010. Archived from the original on February 1, 2010. Retrieved January 29, 2010.
- ^ "Louisville Moving Forward with Permanent Cyclocross Course". Cyclocross Magazine. December 16, 2009. Archived from the original on January 25, 2010. Retrieved January 29, 2010.
- ^ "American Basketball Association team looks to bring new energy to Murray". The Murray State News. January 19, 2007. Archived from the original on August 22, 2009. Retrieved February 14, 2007.
- ^ "Report: KFC owner offers to buy Grizzlies". Usatoday.Com. March 21, 2001. Archived from the original on August 22, 2009. Retrieved August 5, 2009.